


Nestled

by mysteriousgemstone



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Keith (Voltron), Alternate Universe, Consensual Objectification, Fluff, Interspecies Relationship(s), M/M, Mild Sexual Implication, Soul Bond, Space Explorers, Symbiotic Relationship, Telepathic Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28002123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysteriousgemstone/pseuds/mysteriousgemstone
Summary: As the leader Shiro isn't known to let his feelings get in the way of important missions. Unfortunately he loses his cool when an adorable helpless creature chooses him to trust with it's life. But it's alright because Shiro's new habit of constantly snuggling what amounts to a breathing teddy bear ends up benefiting everyone.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	Nestled

**Author's Note:**

> Reupload. This one's for you, Jay.
> 
> In this short story Voltron is the title of their little group but things are a bit different and there are no lions or giant robot. The consensual objectification tag is because Keith enjoys being treated like an ornamental object. And I must disclaim that Shiro and Keith have no brotherly relationship because they never met before, and Keith is a couple of years older than in canon.

Word was quickly spreading of Voltron, the nomadic space exploration team who was known to save lives or liberate planets on occasion. Thankfully so far the attention wasn't get in the way of their expeditions.

"Boy, it is hot out here" Hunk complained.

"Yeah, maybe we can find an oasis with smoothies and mermaids soon" Lance added.

"Just keep your helmets on so you don't get a mouthful of sand" Shiro muttered.

Pidge held up a blinking handheld device. "This planet is just about inhospitable with these harsh conditions. Besides a few tiny sand-dwelling animals nothing and nobody could survive here for long."

"That includes any Galra I assume" Allura said with a bite to her words.

Lance sighed. "C'mon, Allura, the only radical faction left has been dead for forever. You should probably focus on enemies that are actually a threat."

"It's easy for you to say that but you're not the one who lost her father to those monsters!" Allura snapped.

"Well, I did lose an arm to them but that doesn't mean all Galra are bad. Galra helped me escape" Shiro reminded. Allura didn't bother arguing anymore.

Suddenly the wind kicked up significantly.

"Uh oh" Hunk said.

"A sand storm's coming. Everyone take shelter!" Shiro ordered.

The team wasn't far from a large cave system. The made their way in and sat the storm out. Everyone sulked in boredom until Shiro started acting strangely. He grimaced.

"What? What is this?"

"What's wrong?" Hunk frowned.

"This... feeling. Can't you see it? Well, not see it, but... "

The rest of the paladins exchanged concerned glances.

"Have you been injured, Shiro? Do you feel unwell?" Allura asked carefully.

"No, nothing like that. It's just- there's something really wrong. It's so... lonely. It almost hurts, but not in a bodily way."

Lance scratched his head. "I don't get it."

Shiro stood and started walking deeper into the cave, looking around as if trying to find something.

Allura got up to follow the black paladin. "We need to stay together. It's safer that way."

The rest of the team got up to follow as well.

"Uh, is there a possibility of some toxic gas leak or poison animals or something on this planet?" Hunk worried.

"I don't think so" Pidge answered. "We should probably just play along and follow Shiro until we figure out what's the matter with him."

"Aren't we going to get lost in here?" Lance asked as he watched Shiro become more distressed, searched further into the cave for the source of his discomfort.

"It doesn't go much deeper. I believe we should hit a dead end" Allura said.

When they did they were spit out into a larger chamber of the cave. Shiro ran to meet what was slumped against a wall at the end of it.

"I'm here! It's okay now. Don't be afraid" Shiro reassured what- or who- he was embracing in a hug and rocking back and forth. All the others could make out were two slim legs in black pants and boots sticking out from under Shiro.

Allura was the first to get a closer look. She jumped back and readied her bayard.

"It's a Galra!" she snarled.

Shiro leapt up and stood defensively between the Galra and Allura.

"Don't you dare!" he yelled.

"Easy, you guys. Doesn't look like any Galra I've ever seen. Are you hurt?" Hunk asked the young man leaning against the rock wall.

The alien didn't move a muscle or say anything despite his open and blinking eyes. He looked completely human if it weren't for his fuzzy, cat-like Galra ears.

"Hey, he's human! Partly. Do you know this guy, Shiro?" Lance piped up.

"Of course! I mean, no. Not at all" Shiro replied, confusing even himself. Pidge shook her head, exasperated.

"Allura, I don't think the weapon's necessary. Shiro and his... friend are obviously sick or something" she reasoned.

Allura lowered her bayard slowly. "This is probably a trap."

"It could be, but I think you know something that we don't" Shiro said.

Allura nodded. She let her bayard go and knelt beside the Galra.

"He's a halfbreed, but not human. Part Galra and, if I'm correct, part Empathen. Empathens are an endangered species. Half of their population are completely sedentary and dependent on others for caretaking. But they have an ability to create a mental bond with their caretakers. It is a symbiotic relationship. They may silently communicate their needs with their bondmate and in return provide physically healing energy."

"So that's what this is" Shiro breathed. He sat beside his new friend. "What are you doing here all by yourself? Why did you choose me?"

Shiro didn't get an answer in words. Instead he felt what his bondmate was feeling. Loneliness. A need for comfort. A tad bit of fear but with relief in finding some friendly faces. And no sign of malicious intent.

"I don't think he's working to ambush or anything. I'm not... feeling anything like that" Shiro told the paladins.

Allura was still wary. "Be that as it may someone may have planted him here so that when he became desperate enough to bond with the first trustworthy person that came along they could strike."

"But we can't just leave him!" Hunk said.

"Yeah, he's cute. Someone gave him a mullet haircut" Lance chuckled.

Shiro agreed. "I'm not leaving him here."

Allura sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you if this gets us into trouble."

"Do you want to come with us?" Shiro asked his bondmate. He was flooded with feelings of relief and eagerness.

"Okay then" he laughed. He put an arm around the alien's back and the other under his knees to carry him. "Woah, you're incredibly light! It feels like you're only ten pounds."

Pidge tried not to look excited at the concept of not being the lightweight of the group anymore.

~

"Oh, how exciting! An Empathen! What a unique specimen" Coran exclaimed.

Shiro started to realize that everyone had been talking about the young man in his arms as if he weren't there or couldn't hear them. But receiving his bondmate's feelings revealed that the creature didn't mind at all and was in fact preening under the attention.

"I just want to make sure he's comfortable. What can he eat? Is there anything I need to know about taking care of him?" Shiro asked Coran. Coran just laughed.

"Creatures like this one are very easy to care for. They don't eat; they just need a bit of water every now and again. Spray it on his skin and a little in his mouth. It's not unlike a plant!"

Shiro blinked. "Seriously?"

Coran nodded, then went on. "It is very important to keep your emotional bond strong. They also thrive on touch."

As if to demonstrate this the Altean reached over and started petting the Empathen, starting with the hair and smoothing his hand down an arm. Shiro was surprised by the contented and pleasured secondhand feelings that suddenly entered his mind.

"Uh, thank you Coran." He looked down to his new alien friend. "What's your name, huh? What should we call you?"

"Oh!" Coran smiled. "They usually have some sort of identification on them." He felt his gloved hand under the collar of the creature's shirt and grasped the chain of a necklace. Examining the pendant attached revealed his name.

"Keith" Shiro read. "Okay."

~

"What kind of name for a weird alien is Keith?" Lance asked not long after Shiro brought Keith into the castle. Shiro felt secondhand offense and indignance bubble into his stomach.

"Hey, be nice. It's a good name."

"It's so normal."

The offense was appeased.

~

Shiro sat in the lounge after their latest expedition. He had Keith in his lap. That had become his usual spot. There wasn't much time that Keith didn't spend hanging off of Shiro. The paladin kept telling himself that it was for Keith's benefit when in reality he was probably comforted more by the constant attachment than the Empathen was. He just felt physically better when Keith was near.

"Hey, Shiro. I wanna hold him!" Pidge said.

Shiro snuggled Keith tighter. "I don't know. He's kind of... mine."

Pidge snorted. "I know. But you said he was super light. I'm sick of being the shrimp. Let me assert my dominance."

Shiro chuckled. "Fine."

He handed Keith over. Pidge had no difficulty holding him.

"Aww. He's so soft. I mean, his ears are fluffy but his skin is really velvety. I think there's some fine purple hair on it."  
Shiro could feel Keith soaking up the attention. "Yeah. It's like a baby bird or something."

"Hey, Hunk! Get in here!" Pidge yelled. Hunk walked in.

"What is it?"

"Feel this" she said and shoved Keith at Hunk.

"Hey, wait- oh." Hunk froze after recieving Keith in his arms. "That's so soft and warm!" The yellow paladin cuddled Keith closer, pressing his head into his shoulder. Shiro felt Keith wallow in happiness. And everyone could see a little blush on his cheeks.

"Okay, okay. Give him back" Shiro complained. Hunk did.

Shiro stood and held Keith so they were chest-to-chest and Keith's head was over Shiro's shoulder. Their cheeks touched and Shiro could feel Keith's skin grow warmer. He rubbed Keith's back and swayed their bodies side to side. Hunk led Pidge out, saying something about cookies almost being ready.

"This is nice, huh?" Shiro said quietly. He could feel the joy and affection from Keith. The feelings kept swelling until it felt like they would burst.

Right then Lance walked in, almost smacking into Shiro's back. Keith's face was right in Lance's. Lance looked at the flushed skin and dark eyes in front of him.

"Like I said, you're pretty cute" he commented, then gave Keith's black hair a ruffle.

Shiro felt Keith proverbially pop. The alien sneezed and white powder flew everywhere. Lance was coated in the stuff.

"Eww, what the quiznak?!"

~

"Not to worry my boy, this is completely natural!" Coran assured. While Lance took a decontamination shower Shiro wiped powder from Keith's face with a tissue. Coran took said tissue from him and Shiro didn't want to know why the Altean swabbed then saved it in a jar.

"You see, these are spores."

" ...What?"

"When positively stimulated enough in any way Empathens release their spores into the air. If their bondmate is of the same species then the other mate may release their spores simultaneously to mingle and fertilize. It's their method of reproduction."

" ...Oh."

Shiro felt absolutely no noteworthy feelings from Keith at that moment.

"Let's not let Lance in on that little detail, okay Coran?"

"My lips are sealed!"

~

Feeling too guilty and empty every time he left Keith in the castle with Coran Shiro decided to bring Keith with them to their leisurely trip to Arus. At first it was a mess trying to earn the Arusians trust but once they did the little aliens were very fond of Voltron.

"Oh my! It cannot be!" the Arusian king squeaked.

"What is it?" Allura asked.

The king pointed to Keith where he was held in one arm against Shiro's side.

"That is one of the fabled Fountains of Haleness! They bring good fortune and heal our ailments!"

Allura pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Please, Voltron. We have been suffering an outbreak of itching fever. We must perform a ceremony to reap the medicinal qualities from the Fountain."

Allura turned to Shiro with her hands on her hips while the other paladins giggled.

"This is your problem. Deal with it!" she said.

Shiro considered it. Keith seemed to be excited over the prospect.

"He doesn't have to be harmed in any way for this to work, right?" the black paladin asked the king.

"Oh, of course not! Damaging the Fountain would sully the remedy."

Shiro shrugged.

~

In no time the Arusians had Keith on his back on the ground surrounded by a circle of flowers, plants and stones while the aliens danced around him and chanted.

"This is priceless" Lance laughed. Him, Hunk and Pidge were trying to mimic the dance. Shiro huffed. At least he could feel Keith getting his ego stroked.

An Arusian waddled up to Allura holding a crown of flowers and a bouquet.

"Princess! Someone of high standing must perform the last act!"

Allura smacked her palm to her forehead.

"I'd really rather... I'm not exactly- "

"Think of the villagers' suffering, Allura" Shiro said.

Allura sighed.

The princess stepped into the circle and knelt beside Keith. She placed the crown on his head and placed his hands on his stomach. She closed them around the bouquet. Her own hands lingered around his.

Allura looked at Keith's serene expression and couldn't help a small smile. She bent down and kissed his forehead.  
A burst of elation swam from Keith into Shiro and the black paladin couldn't help but smile, too.


End file.
